Floor-polishing machine



Fb. 25, 1930. L. N. GILLlS HING MACHINE v Filed 'Feb. 12, 1924- 4 Sheet's-Sheet l Feb. 25, 1930. s 1,748,548

FLOOR POLISHING MACHINE- Filed Feb. 12, 1924 4 sheets-s eet 2 o H m grvuml fol Feb. 25, 1930. L. N. GILLIS 1,748,543 I FLOOR POLISHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12, 1924 4 Sheets-$11091; 3

Feb. 25, 1930. w L. N. GILLIS 1,748,548

' FLOOR POLISHING mcfnms Filed Feb. 12, 1924 4 Sheets-Shea 4 Patented Feb. 25, 1930 UNITED :STATES' PATENT or ce- LYLE N. GILLIS, 0F BOSE CREST, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT .AND MESNE A5- SIGNMENTS, OF ONE-HALF TO THE FLOOROLA CORPORATION, 01 BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE, AND ONE HALF TO ERNEST J.

COMER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND FLOOR-POLISHIN G MACHINE Application filed February 12, 1924." Serial at. 692,295.

This invention relates .to floor polishing machines and has s ecial reference to improvements in the illustrated and described in my prior ap plication filed September 7, 1923, and bearing the Serial Number 661,424.

In the floor polishing machine described in said prior application the pressure of the rubbing elements on the floor was regulated by a spring to which access could be had from the bottom .of the machine. In certain forms of the machine this was found to be inconvenient.

One important object .of the present 1nvention is to so improve the former machine that the spring adjustments may be made from the top of the machine, thus enabling them to be altered from time to time as may be found expedient in different stages of the operations being performed.

The arrangement of the springs in the foregoing application also has a tendency to considerably increase frictional resistance of the parts and especially of the center or main shaft. A second important object of the present invention is to so arrange the pressure spring that ball orother anti-frictionbearings may be employed for the end thrust of the main shaft.

It is furthermore found that, with the prior arrangement of springs, it was necessary to employ a main shaft in which the diameter varied at different points, this being objectionable in some instances from the points of view of manufacture and economy.

A third important object of the presentinvention is to provide an improved form of pressure spring arrangement in such a deyice wherein a main shaft of uniform diameter throughout its entire length maybe employed thus contributing to ease and economy of manufacture.

With the above and other objects in View as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of oor polishing machine in the accompanying drawings and specifically claime In the accompanying drawin s like characters of reference indicate li e parts in the several views, and:

Figure 1 is a plan view of thesmachine as constructed in accordance with. the present invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 1s a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view.

The invention in its present form comprises a main housing 10 on top of which is located an upper orreduction gear housing 11. On top of the reduction gear housing and located centrally over the main housing is the motor 12 which has its shaft 13 arranged vertically and projecting downwardly through the bearing 14 into the reduction gear housing 11. On the lower end of the shaft 13 is fixed a pinion 15 which meshes with a gear 16 keyed on a jack shaft 17 having its upper end journalled in a bearing 18 fixed in the top of the housin 11 and its'lower end similarly jour nalled in a bearing 19 fixed in the top of the main housing 10 On the shaft 17, below the gear 16 is a drum pinion 20 which meshes with a gear 21 fixed upon the upper end of the main shaft 22. The lower end of thismain shaft is threaded as at 23 and carries a wear a adjusting nut'24, the purpose of which will be presently made apparent. It is to be observed that this mam shaft is made from a single length of metal, preferably cold rolled steel and is consequently of uniform diam eter throughout, it being understood that the radiate the arms 26 terminating in socket ends 27 for the reception of the combined lfln dial and thrust ball bearings 28. Mounted 50 parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in these ball bearings arethe stub shafts 29 with the internal ring gear 33 fixed to theunderside of shoulder 33 formed in the housing by means of the screws 33". It will be seen that, while these parts are analagous to the similar parts in the prior application, there is an important difierenee in that the pumps are thinner than the ring gear so that, while retaining the sliding adjustment in a vertical direction, the revolving weight due to the pinions is lessened.

On top of the hub 25 thereis provided a thrust bearing 34 of a suitable anti-friction type and on top of this again is located the pressure spring 35 which is in the form of a leaf spring provided with a centrally d1sposed opening for the shaft 22. ThlS spring extends diametrically across the main housing 10 and its ends are pressed down by adjusting or tension screws 36 passing through the top of the housing 10 and having easily accesslble heads above the housing so that they can readily be screwed up or downeven whlle the machine is in use. Supporting wheels 37 keep the housing 10 off of the floor and permit ready movement of the machine over the floor both in polishing and in transporting the machine from one place to another.

,It can now be understoodthat the tension given the spring 35 regulates the pressure of the rubbers on the floor and that the wear which takes lace in these rubbers may be compensated y unscrewing the nut 24 and screwing down the tension screws 36 so as to restore the proper tension to the spring 35.

A lift lever 38 is pivoted to the housing 11 and is provided with a yoke end carrying rollers 39 engaging beneath the gear 21 to raise the spider and rubbers off the floor during transportation of the machine. This lift lever is provided with a pawl and ratchet device 40 to hold the parts raised.

The usual handle 41 is also provided.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the spring adjusting means is easily accessible, friction on the main shaft is greatly reduced by the change of spring arrangement without increasing the height of the machine as would be the case if ball-thrust hearings were introduced in the prior machine, and that a simple shaft of uniform diameter is employed instead of the stepped shaft necessary with the former construction. Moreover the construction is thereby greatly simplified.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a supporting frame, a shaft mounted therein, rubbing means supported on said shaft, a leaf spring connectedwith the shaft and normally exerting pressure on said rubbing means and tension adjusting means interposed between the frame and the leaf spring for regulating the ten sion of said spring.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a supporting frame, a shaft mounted therein, rubbing means supported on said shaft, a leaf spring normally exerting pressure on said rubbing means, and tension adjusting means engaging approximately the opposite ends of said spring and extending through the frame for operation from the exterior thereof. v

3. In a machine of the class described, a housing open at the bottom, a main shaft journalled vertically in said housing, means at the lower end of the main shaft for supporting floor engaging elements, a spring Within said housing and extending thereacross, said spring being arranged to exert downward pressure on said means, and tension adjusting means for said spring engaging the spring within the housing and projecting through the housing for operation from the exterior thereof.

4. In a machine of the class described, a housing open at the bottom, a main shaft journalled vertically in and centrally of said housing, a spider at the lower end of said shaft, floor rubbing elements onthe ends of the arms of said spider, a leaf spring within Y said housing and extending thereacross, said shaftpassing through said leaf spring and the spring being arranged to urge said spider downwards, and tension screws passing through the top of said housing and engaging the spring adjacent the ends thereof.

5. In a machine of the class described, a housing, open at the bottom, a main shaft journalled vertically in said housing, means at the lower end of the main shaft for supporting floor engaging elements, a spring within said housing and extending thereacross, said spring being arranged to exert downward pressure on said means, tension adjusting means for said spring engaging the spring within the housing and projecting through the housing for operation from the exterior thereof, an anti-friction thrust bearlng interposed between the first mentioned means and the spring, and an adjusting nut screwed on the lower end of the shaft to adjust the first mentioned means longitudinally thereof.

6. Ina machine of the class described, a housing open at the bottom, a main shaft journalled vertically in and centrally of said housing, a spider at the lower end of said shaft, floor rubbing elements on the ends of the arms of said spider, a leaf spring within said housing and extending thereacross, said shaft passing through said leaf spring an the spring being arranged to urge said spider downwards, tension screws passing through the top of said housing and engaging the spring adjacent. the ends thereof, an antifriction thrust bearing interposed between the spider and the spring, and an adjusting nut screwed on the lower end of said shaft to adjust the spider longitudinally of the shaft. Y

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a housing, a shaft journaled' therein, means connected with said shaft for supporting floor engaging elements, a spring within the housing and extending thereacross, said spring being arranged to exert downward pressure on said means, and tension adjusting means connected with approximately the opposite ends of said spring. I

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a housing having an internal shoulder, a main drive shaft supported within the housing, a frame mounted on said drive shaft, auxiliary stubshafts journaled in said frame, pinions carried by said stub shafts, a main ring-gear fitted beneath said shoulder of the housing, and meshing with the pinions, and screws extending through the ring gear and into the shoulder for holding the rin gear thereto.

, 9. In a 'oor polishing machine, the combination-of a housing, a drive shaft mounted therein for longitudinal slidable movement, means for moving said shaft longitudinally,

"brush shafts carried by the drive shaft, a

ring gear mounted in the housing, and pinions mounted on the brush shafts and mesh-. in with the ring gear, said pinions being su stantially narrower than the 'ring gear. a In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. G

' LYLE N. GILLIS. 

